Review #242: Eric Allen Prewitt - Him (1986)

ERIC ALLEN PREWITT'S LIFE

Year: 1986
Genre: Human
Label: God Records
Tracks: 24
Length: 69 Minutes
My Rating: 7/8

Okay, okay, so I've been on NOT FACEBOOK and I TOTALLY FUCKING MET THIS FUCKING GUY NAMED ERIC ALLEN PREWITT. And y'know what? He's really nice to me. He actually talks to me and he's not a total dick. I like Eric. Eric is nice. There was this one time when he was telling me about this road trip... no, he said he was a ROAD PIRATE. He went on road trips all the time. Fuck, I'm still talkin' to the guy right now. He knows I am typing this bullshit. He is all-knowing. He believes in doing whatever ya want. That's cool. I respect thut very much. I want to be friends with Eric. I am not gay for him but he is cool and seems to understand and respect my feelings and shit. He has a daughter. He said me being 18 was just like him being 18. Which is cool. He got laid and he travels a lot so maybe that means WHAT THE FUCK, WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT GETTING LAID ANYWAYS?

It rained outside... it was thundering... loud... shaking the house. Anyways, yeah, he's a pretty cool guy and he has a beard and I don't really know him that well, but I'd say he ranks in the higher-ups of people I don't really know that well. So let's give Mr. Prewitt a hand here... yayyyyy (clap clap clappy clap)


(Oh, and he also likes my music. Which means I like him.)

Review #84: The Melvins - With Yo' Heart, Not Yo' Hands (Single) (1990)

WITH YO' HEART, NOT YO' HANDS (Single)

Year: 1990

Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Grunge, Post-Punk
Label: Sympathy For the Record Industry
Tracks: 3
Length: 8 Minutes (Short)
Style: Mysterious/Weird
My Rating: 6/8

I read somewhere that Buzz Osborne considers the early grunge band Malfunkshun one of the greatest bands to come out of the Seattle scene. Though they never released an actual record (they were featured on the Deep Six compilation) during the lifetime of frontman Andrew Wood (an LP was finally released in 1995), they accumulated quite a positive reputation, and were one of the top bands of the early grunge scene in the mid 1980s, before the word "grunge" was ever even once used to describe it! Judging by the release date of the album (Andrew Wood passed away in 1990 right before Mother Love Bone's debut LP came out), this was likely a tribute to the man, or at least a sad case of irony. It's also interesting for having two different B-Side tracks, little-known cuts that many Melvins fans have not heard. These include the short-but-sweet sludge-punk beauty of "Four Letter Woman" and the humorous sample-laden "Anal Satan".

1. With Yo' Heart, Not Yo' Hands
As you might already know, it's a Malfunkshun cover. The lyrics seem somewhat sexual, maybe a dark love song of some sort. It's slow and quite lead driven. The riff is sinister and bleak. The song ends in a final blitz of feedback and noise that feel like electricity. It's over four minutes long. Now let's listen to the next songs...

2. Four-Letter Woman
It took me awhile to figure this out, but I think the "four letter woman" is Lori. L-O-R-I. Like, from the Melvins. She plays bass guitar on this album. The song variates from hardcore punk pounding to sludge-metal thumping, with a murky, cool riff. Buzz's vocals are great in this song, he makes great use a vibrato technique in the sung section. The song ends in a section similar to the part that precedes the verse section. The song is under two minutes long.

3. Anal Satan
This one to me totally sounds like a Butthole Surfers song. Yet the Melvins are indeed demented enough to come up with a song like this. The song ends with Buzz yelling "YOU'RE GOING TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE!! YOU'RE GOING TO GET A SPANKINGG!!". The song uses a heavy amount of industrial/hip-hop style sampling, slowed down fragments, sped-up clippets, and clips of Dale from the Melvins dissing Bruce Pavitt from Sub-Pop Records for not originally putting out this record like they intended. The main lyrics are clips of two different voices shouting "ANAL! SATAN..." -- quite a fun song, showing the Melvins deviating from their main trade. The song ends with a semi-musical fanfare from what sounds like a chainsaw.

Well, I thought it was quite good for a somewhat obscure 3-song 7" vinyl EP record thing that you put in your record player that spins it around so it can play a pattern of sounds based off of the grooves in the aforementioned piece of plastic that creates noises that do in fact resemble the Melvins playing music for you. To be honest, the A-Side I didn't enjoy as much as the B-Sides. Say what you will. I just haven't gotten ultra into it, yet. I actually liked the original Malfunkshun version better. I guess that iz to be expected, though. One thing I noticed about this album's art though is a certain kreepy kreature that is also on the art for the "Oven" single from 1989... do you think THIS guy is the "Anal Satan" we've been hearing about so much?




















..........(Exhibit A) ....................... (Previous Sighting, c. '89)

Now think about it before you judge... if Satan DOES exist, then nobody living knows what he looks like so we can not instantly be sure if he really IS a red guy with horns. Maybe because, as we all know, that the Melvins have been to Hell and back (Brian Walsby drew him), they have indeed seen the guy -- and THIS is what he looks like! Also, note the position that his neck arises from... it could be a pretty damn long neck, sticking out of the collar of the man's shirt, all the way from inside... the ANUS! This could indeed be the Anal Satan... a proper reminder to eat a non-Satanic diet... like, of sacrificed baby-meat and stuff.

Review #65: The Distillers - The Distillers (EP) (1999)

THE DISTILLERS (EP)

Year: 1999
Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Hardcore
Label: Epitaph Records
Tracks: 4
Length: 7 Minutes (Very Short)
Style: Angry/Rebellious/Happy
My Rating: 7/8

Few bands of the recent era of rock n' roll have interested me more than the Distillers. While not quite extremely innovative or anything like that, they made up for that in honest emotion and songwriting skills. But I've said that all before. This is their debut 7" EP. It is very hard to find (only 500 pressings were ever made) and hardly anybody's ever heard of it. It contains early versions of four songs that would later appear on their first LP, and it was published on Epitaph Records.

1. Old Scratch
This one is a criticism of churches and organized religion that suck individuality out of their followers and fill them with fear for their lives. This iz the shortest song on the album (under a minute long).

2. L.A. Girl
Brody's voice sounds like Courtney Love's a little in this one. I think it is about the struggles of living in Los Angeles, that leads her to believe that "God almighty" is "NOT red, white, and blue." I like the vocal harmonies in the chorus to this one.

3. Colossus U.S.A.
I for one think the two songs on the second half of this EP are better than the two on the first half. This iz a song on the second half. This song is about poverty and the difficulty of finding employment as a poor person in the United States. My favorite part of the song is the "What ya live for, when you're no-one, what you do and where ya come from?" part... just hooks you in, ya know? Brody's voice sounds awesome, here. For some reason it really gets me when she says "dissipated understanding"... just sounds really fuckin' cool. It alternates between mid-tempo sections, and fast, hectic ones.

4. Blackheart
This is one of the best Distillers songs ever in general. I love it. A lot of people probably see it as filler, but I just really like this one. It's chock-full of rage, energy, and excellent vocal harmonies. I don't really know what the lyrics mean here, but the main line throughout the later part of the song is "Don't I Need This?". The chorus takes up most of the song, and it starts with Brody and Kim simply harmonizing the lyrics, until Kim just keeps going, and Brody is screaming her lungs out in punk-rock fury. The vocals sound a little more awkward here, which is a plus to me. I listen to this one while driving a lot. (Yes, I'm copying most of the stuff I say from my review of the debut LP).

It's real short, but a fun listen. You get to hear the Distillers in more 90's-esque production values, early takes on some of their songs, and you could tell they were already going to be great by this point. It's just a shame they didn't put another song or two on here.

Review #55: Seaweed - Despised (1991)

DESPISED

Year: 1991

Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Post-Punk, Grunge, Hardcore
Label: Sub-Pop Records
Tracks: 8
Length: 28 Minutes (Medium-Length)
Style: Emotional
My Rating: 7/8

Seaweed is a punk rock/grunge band from Tacoma, in the legendary state of Washington. The band was formed in 1989 by a group of kids who had been going to see local hardcore shows since the 4th grade! They released a series of 7" singles and EPs, and then an LP in 1990. This is their second LP, and it's called "Despised". The album contains a lot of new songs, but the last four are from the LP before it.

1. Selfish
A fast opener that ensures quality for the duration of the record. There's a slower mid-section two-thirds through the song. The chorus goes "Whoa, whoa, this guy before you... but this instinct you feel... whoa, whoa, this guy before you... but for what?". Contains a more uplifting sounding final part.

2. One Out of Four
The most well-known song from this album (probably because they made a music video for it which was featured on the Sub-Pop Video Program). Really catchy chorus. The song has a generally slow tempo compared the the song before it. A mid-section that reminds me of the one from "What's Your Problem" by the Circle Jerks. Very good song.

3. Rethink
Even slower than "One Out of Four". Amazing vocals and riff on this one.

4. Stale
Medium tempo. Nice solo which pretty much consists of two notes repeated again and again (but still sounds legit). The album's title comes from the line "I'm becoming what I most despised" in this song.

5. Bought It
Just like every other song on this record, it has good vocals and good lyrics. Best song on the album!

6. Sit In Glass
It's really fucking hard to find the lyrics for songs from this album, so I'm just gonna pretend this song is literally about sitting in glass. It's a faster song, but not as fast as "Selfish", with typical hardcore-punk slowdown sections. Makes nice use of combining the acoustic guitar and electric guitar together in the verse parts -- feels like there's one thing goin' on in one ear and another thing going on in another.

7. Installing
Originally a B-Side to the "Just a Smirk" single and it was also on the debut LP as well. For some reason I love the line "you can't touch me, I can only touch myself"... even if that wasn't intentionally humorous, I still laugh.

8. Patchwork
This is from the 1990 LP. Really good song. Kinda fast like the previous track. I like the "You Consume" part of the song. I should probably just say about these songs what I said about them on the last review that had these songs on 'em. "Most of the song is relatively fast... blahblahblah... the song ends by slowly fading out."

9. Inside
This was the A-Side to their very first 7" EP. Slower tempo than the previous few songs. Carla does backing vocals in this one, too.

10. Lovegut
The last track on the "Inside" EP. Probably some sort of love song, but I don't have the lyrics. Great emotional vocals from Aaron Stauffer. The tempo is almost grungy.

So, that's "Despised", one of the many pure classics that Seaweed released in the early '90s. It was their first album on Sub-Pop Records, too, and it's still in print. It has a bunch of really good new songs and a bunch of older ones. So, if you like Seaweed, grunge, punk, or old-school emo, then give it a try. It iz legit.

MUSIC VIDEO FOR "ONE OUT OF FOUR"

Review #51: Social Distortion - Social Distortion (1990)

SOCIAL DISTORTION

Year: 1990
Genre: Punk Rock, Rock & Roll
Sub-Genres: Post-Punk, Hardcore, Rockabilly
Label: Epic Records
Tracks: 10
Length: 41 Minutes (Long)
Style: Struggling/Rebellious/Love/Happy
My Rating: 6/8

At the beginning of this month, I reviewed Social Distortion's first LP, called "Mommy's Little Monster". It was a great hardcore punk record from its time. A year or two after that record was released, Mike Ness (the band's main member and frontman) started using the money he earned to supply his heroin addiction. By in 1985, he was having problems with the law and frequented prisons, and eventually entered drug rehab. In 1986, after he finished rehabilitation, Social Distortion began performing again. When they began writing songs for their second album, they began to take on a more rockabilly-inspired flavor. Their second album was called "Prison Bound", and it was released in 1988. In 1990, the band was signed to the major label, Epic Records. This is their third album and their first LP to be released on a major label.

1. So Far Away
A fast, hard rock n' roll song. The lyrics seem to be a dark ballad of a working man to his partner who he has to work "blood, sweat, and tears" for because he "lost it all in one blackout summer night". The main chorus is sung "So Far Away" repeated again and again.

2. Let it Be Me
Another song of a similar tempo and feel to the previous, but this one is a more traditional love song in the classic theme of a boy who is in love with a girl who is being strongly discouraged by her parents not to marry the boy and wait for somebody "better", as the hero in the song reminds the girl that "life is going by fast".

3. Story of My Life
The big hit of the album (sort of). They made a music video for it, and it's the song most kids today will think of when you mention Social Distortion. The first verse of the song is Mike reminiscing about when he was an outcast in high school and a girl that he had a crush on at the time. The second verse is about when he had grown up and went back to his old town to find out that "the pool hall he loved as a kid is now a 7-11". The final verse is sung in present tense, looking back on how good times come and go, and time goes by real fast, with every special moment being a chapter in the story of one's life. This song has a more calm, rockabilly feel to it than the two songs before it.

4. Sick Boys
Same rockabilly tempo as the previous song. It's about the "sick boy", a young greaser kid who's always getting in trouble with the law, drinks, rides a motorcycle with his girlfriend, and gets into knife fights. Very happy-sounding song.

5. Ring of Fire
This is a cover of the classic song by Johnny Cash. Of course, the song is harder and done in a punk-rock style unlike the original. It's about a man falling into a "ring of fire", whose flames would only grow more powerful, which means he must have fallen deeply in love. End of Side 1.

6. Ball and Chain
This is another more mellow song. Good to listen to when you just want to relax or get a break from things making you feel down. It's a song about alcohol addiction and trying to run away from the problem but "you can't go nowhere". They did a music video for this song, too.

7. It Coulda Been Me
The riff of this one sounds a lot like "Moral Threat" from the first album, but there's a country harmonica in it as well. It's about Mike looking back at all of the people he knew that left him/died/went to prison, and thinking "it coulda been me".

8. She's a Knockout
Starts with a thumping beat and a guitar solo. This one sounds a lot like a song from the first record as well. It's about a pretty girl who turns heads and gets the attention of men everywhere she goes, but "only I [Mike] can call her honey". I like this song the best on the whole record!

9. A Place in My Heart
Fastest song on the album. It's another love song. Not a ton of things about the song that can't be said about the others, but it's still good.

10. Drug Train
A sort of outlaw-badass sounding song with more harmonica. Sings about the "drug train", a thing that offers excitement and pleasures that can "take you as the heavens", but also "take you to the depths of hell", when you finally end up "in a jail cell or a hospital bed", and the last stop is "a violent crash". A very hot-tempered cautionary tale.

Well, that's "Social Distortion". They waited 'till their third album to make a self-titled record. And most bands do that on day one. But who cares? Anyways, this is usually regarded as their best and most famous work. Personally I prefer "Mommy's Little Monster" a little more. While it's not too diverse, it has a very authentic character to it which seems more "at-home" to rural and blue-collar people than it might to people outside those settings. Aesthetically speaking, it's a very traditional rock n' roll album, with themes that seem straight out of the '50s rockabilly era (and possibly earlier). Still, it's a pretty good record, regardless of what genre you would want to classify it under.

MUSIC VIDEOS

Review #39: Ween - The Pod (1991)

THE POD

Year: 1991
Genre: Psychedelic Rock
Label: Shimmy-Disc Records
Tracks: 23
Length: 76 Minutes (Very Long)
Style: Weird/Happy/Sad/Funny/Mysterious
My Rating: 8/8

Ween is an alternative rock band from New Hope, Pennsylvania that formed in 1984. Ween released a series of underground, little-known albums throughout the '80s, but Ween eventually left their first label, "Bird O'Prey Records", to sign to Twin-Tone Records, and released their first record, "God Ween Satan" in 1990. After that, they signed to Shimmy-Disc Records, the label that they would release "The Pod" on. The Pod is said to be their most "challenging" work, and it might be for some, but I think any true Ween fan will love this. While Ween's music was mostly punk rock, as well as experimenting with other sorts of genres, this album marks their shift to the bizarre psychedelic rock, the style they are mostly known for playing.

With that being said, this is probably their weirdest album they did. Legend has it that they were high on scotchgard glue during the recording of this album, though the band itself denies it. Still, I'll bet they were on SOMETHING. Most "normal" people could only dream of making music this awesome. The album itself will make you feel at least stoned. It's got a very funny, odd, fuzzy, murky, but endearing nature about it. And it's one of the best works of Ween ever.

1. Strap On the Jammypac
I dunno if this was the intent of the song, but this one is too funny. Basically the same riff combined with clattering cymbals and one of the funniest-sounding voices ever saying "Stwap on da jaimmypac...", or some other unintelligible phrase, followed by a single beat of a drum. This just repeats over and over for several minutes in a hilariously annoying manner. I love it.

2. Dr. Rock
One of the more normal songs on the album (still very weird, however). It's a psychedelic-punk-type song with phasered-vocals. The song seems to center around "Dr. Rock", some type of superhero/doctor type of guy who you can call whenever you need help.

3. Frank
A slow, acid-drenched song. First mentions of the elusive "Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese" and "Mega-Weedge", two prominent items that are often mentioned throughout the album. The song is about a guy named Frank who is being asked by the song's protagonist for some food.

4. Sorry Charlie
This is a great one. It's a mellow, softer song with telephone-sounding vocals and a light stick-beat. It's half-sad, it's half-happy. The lyrics are about a guy named Charlie who's having a pretty shitty life and doesn't have enough money to support his girlfriend who's still in high school, and he has to resort to selling more pot. Nice to listen to when you're feelin' blue.

5. The Stallion, Pt. 1
"The Stallion" is a recurring character throughout the Ween universe. This is a really trippy song with bizarre vocals. It's actually somewhat scary. This song seems to actually be about some sort of tough-guy horse (the Stallion, of course!) who recons you not to fuck around with him.

6. Pollo Asado
This one is really funny. It's sort of another mellow, psychedelic song, but in the foreground is a hilarious skit about a guy trying to order mexican food. It's funnier than I'm making it sound. End of Side 1.

7. Right to the Ways and the Rules of the World
A song with some violin (or at least a synth) in it. Uses a lot of acoustic guitar, and vocals from both Gene Ween and Dean Ween. Not a ton of effects used on this one, but that's okay.

8. Captain Fantasy
A truly great song. It's a slow, hard, trippy song with sped-up vocals. It's just really good. What else can I say? This song is really legit.

9. Demon Sweat
A slow, soft song that makes use of synths. It's really relaxing to listen to. It's like a lullaby or something. I think they were really tripping out at this point. There's some vocal harmonies, as well. At two minutes and thirty seconds, the song suddenly gets louder with synth organs and a ridiculous guitar-solo. The song gets really off-tune during this point.

10. Molly
Sounds like a Butthole Surfers song. Really funky vocals combining a normal voice and a really high-pitched voice. And the quiet mumbling of "mollymollymollymollymollymollymolly...". Pretty slow and weird.

11. Can U Taste the Waste?
A short heavy-metal song whose only line is "Can U Taste the Waste?". EXTREMELY badass. Or "brown", as a lot of Ween fans prefer to say.

12. Don't Sweat It
A slow, gothic-sounding, dreamy song. There's a mid-section where the guitars get even more distorted and there's a beautiful little solo towards the end. End of Side 2.

13. Awesome Sound
A really weird funk song. Second mention of the "Pork Roll, Egg and Cheese". Actually somewhat similar to the Butthole Surfers. I even heard one of the vocalist use an exact same vocal effect involving taking a voice and slowly speeding it up as used in "Human Cannonball" by the Butthole Surfers. Towards the end, you can start to hear the two cracking up.

14. Laura
This is one of the best songs on the album, but I can't even understand what the fuck he's saying, here. The voice sounds extremely weird. Still, it has a very nice guitar-line. It all fits the mood of the song very well. Very slow. I really wish I came up with the riff for this song first.

15. Boing
The shortest song on the album (one minute and thirty-three seconds long). It's an extremely quiet, bassy song with extremely low-pitched vocals and mostly bass guitar (though a little rhythm guitar does try to creep out). Sounds like someone's fat grandpa snoring/talking in his sleep.

16. Mononucleosis
It's said that the group was down with Mononucleosis when they were recording this album. With that being said, it's a good song to listen to when you feel sick. It's a very echoey, depressing sort of song. "Now you're on the couch, you can't even move your fucking head... tell me that you wish that you was dead..." crap, if I listen to this song anymore, I might get sick myself!

17. Oh My Dear (Falling in Love)
A pop song. Probably the most normal-sounding song on the album. Really pretty guitar sounds. You just can't get a sound like this out of digital recording. Digital recordings hurt my ears, which is why a lot of new music (regardless of the actual song) sounds so unlistenable to me.

18. Sketches of Winkle
A punk song. My favorite part, however, is the chorus that goes "Sketches of Winkle, flying through the heavens in a fit of rage", followed by a great-sounding guitar lead. Another great song on the album. End of Side 3.

19. Alone
A very quiet, slow song. I read the lyrics, and I feel like I can relate. It's basically a song about those people who feel very alone, with few or no friends, as everyone else seems to move forward, and you're just stuck in the same shit forever.

20. Moving Away
A soft, reggae-sounding song. Similar to "Alone" in a lot of ways as far as the musical notes used and the riff, but it's more of a reggae riff. Gener and Deaner have never sounded more black. There's an R&B-sounding section at the end of the song, too. The song in general seems to be an impersonation of black music.

21. She Fucks Me
Another mellow song. It's a love song, the way Ween does it, anyways. Very calm and beautiful. Yet ANOTHER mention of the "Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese". In fact, that line is just repeated in the background throughout the entire sound. Despite the fact that the vocals are very slowed-down, they still sound very good. Wonderful-sounding guitars. Another really good song.

22. Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese
You saw this one coming. Or maybe you didn't. Anyways, this song is the culmination of all Pork Roll Egg and Cheeses that existed throughout the album. It's a very happy song with water-y sounding guitars. It's my favorite song on the album. There was a very rare music video for it with trash floating around the city streets and Dean Ween swimming at the beach shot with a Super-8 camera. It's really cool, and it was on YouTube for awhile, but it was taken down by Warner Bros., the corporate gluttons, even though they didn't even publish this album. I can't find it anywhere else, but I'm guessing it was on one of the Shimmy-Disc Video Compilations.

23. The Stallion, Pt. 2
The final song on the long, long album. A slow, groovy piece with weird vocals with the recurring line, "I am the Stallion, Mang." Hilarious yelled vocals at a part towards the end. Unfortunately, that's the end of ze record.

Wow... what a trip. This is pretty much one of the greatest Ween albums of all time. It was also their last on an independent label for awhile. After this, they were invited to become artists on Elektra Records, a label owned by Warner Music Group. They released "Pure Guava", which was of a similar style to this album to some extent, but still not nearly as weird as this one. Still, I like "Pure Guava" slightly more. But this album is just as good. Many would consider it better. They are probably right. But what the fuck? Ween is great. Listen to this album if you like weird music. It's very un-mainstream but it's almost pop. It's happy but it's sad. It can make you laugh and cry simultaneously. Like, if you laughed so hard that you started crying. Or if you cried so hard that you started laughing. Drugs will only enhance the experience. This album is great to listen to even sober. Fuck anyone who says otherwise. Ween is one of the greatest bands ever.

(There were actually three music videos made for "Pollo Asado", "Captain Fantasy", and "Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese" created for the Shimmy-Disc Video Compilations, but they are extremely rare on the internet and I cannot find a single copy, so I can't show you any of the videos for it. But they're pretty cool. They look like the album sounds.)

Review #24: Seaweed - Seaweed (1990)

SEAWEED

Year: 1990

Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Hardcore, Grunge
Label: Leopard Gecko Records
Tracks: 8
Length: 22 Minutes (Medium-Length)
Style: Emotional
My Rating: 7/8

Seaweed is one of my favorite bands of all time. They are a post-hardcore band from Tacoma, Washington that formed in 1989 with the original lineup of Aaron Stauffer (vocals), Clint Wener (guitar), Wade Neal (guitar), John Atkins (bass guitar), and Bob Bulgrein (drums). I've been a fan of them for over a year, but this was the year that I started REALLY learning to appreciate them. Their music could almost be considered to be an early form of "emo-core", but don't let that fool ya, 'cause my bullshit detector's on, and these guys are GOOD. Real emotion in their music, not computer-generated corporate emotion like a lot of kids my age listen to. Their music also often gets lumped in with "grunge" music, due to the fact that they play a good number of slow songs and use a lot of distortion, not to mention that they come from a place awfully close to you-know-where.

This, however, was not their first release. Most of the songs on this album come from earlier 7" releases from 1989 and early 1990, but there's also a few new songs (which would be released on their next LP, "Despised", a real classic.) If you're a fan of grunge or hardcore punk (or even real emo), you might easily take a liking to this!

1. Just a Smirk
Has a really nice beat and fuzzy guitars, with Aaron's beautiful but rough vocals. However, this iz just the beginning. A really awesome mid-section with a great solo. This should fire up a party.

2. Installing
This one starts out pretty slow. It was later re-recorded for "Despised" in 1991. The chorus is faster than the chorus. Most of the song alternates between fast and slow parts.

3. Stargirl
This is a beautiful song. The lyrics are about that special girl we dream about meeting, "but she isn't even there." Easily the best song on the album. Just when you think the song is going to end, there is an outro-section that re-spices up the song just before the end. This song is sexy.

4. Deertrap
This is off of one of their early singles. I guess the song is about a time that Aaron saw a deer in a deer trap and tried to rescue it, but couldn't succeed. Carla Torgerson from the Walkabouts does backing vocals on this one. She did backing vocals on a lot of their songs, actually! The song gets really thrashy at the very end.

5. Inside
This was the A-Side to their very first 7" EP. Slower tempo than the previous few songs. Carla does backing vocals in this one, too.

6. Lovegut
The last track on the "Inside" EP. Probably some sort of love song, but I don't have the lyrics. Great emotional vocals from Aaron Stauffer. The tempo is almost grungy.

7. Carousel
The B-Side to the "Deer Trap" single. I guess my main thumbs-ups to this one are the main riff and the vocals.

8. Patchwork
This one got on "Despised" as well. I really like this one. The part that really pulls me into this one is the part of the chorus that has the "you consume" line it. Most of the song is relatively fast, but that part is slow. The song ends by slowly fading out.

This one is only a preview of the greatness that they would continue to spew out for the rest of the early '90s, which include some of my favorites, "Despised", "Weak" (the best one), and "Four". Their major label debut, "Spanaway" is supposedly a classic as well, but I haven't listened to the whole thing. Same can be said about "Actions and Indications". The band broke up in 2000 or so, but they re-united in 2007. They claimed to be recording a new album called "Small Engine Repair", but there's still no word of it being released as of now. Oh well. Anyways, check this album out. It's very good.

Review #23: The Melvins - Eggnog (EP) (1991)

EGGNOG (EP)

Year: 1991

Genre: Heavy Metal, Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Sludge, Grunge, Noise, Hardcore
Label: Boner Records
Tracks: 4
Length: 20 Minutes (Medium-Length)
Style: Angry/Weird/Funny
My Rating: 6/8

The Melvins are just one o' those bands that can do almost anything they want and succeed. They started out as a great hardcore band, and along the way, invented grunge, and then they went on to invent sludge-metal, and they dabbled in electronic music and experimental noise-rock as well. It's just a shame I didn't review this one before Christmas. It would've been fitting. Eggnog was a favorite of mine during the holiday season until I learned that I was very allergic to milk. Fuck.

Anyways, this one is considered a staple album by the Melvins by a lot of people. And it IS true, the songs on here are pretty good, though in my opinion, they have done better songs. But still, this is AMONG their best in terms of quality.

1. Wispy
Starts with some pounding drums and guitar noise. Contains the memorable line "I don't know much, but... I don't feel so good." Buzzo goes on to sing some stoner poetry, as the drum-and-bass verse build up, until at the end of the lyrics, Buzz lets out a mighty yell which fits extremely well with the instruments. Ends with banging drums. It's a pretty short song.

2. Antitoxidote
My favorite track on the EP. Starts with a slow intro, but then we realize that this is a hardcore punk song! It's very badass, and then after the first verse, Buzz lets out a crazed scream/yell, and then there's another section of the song which has a truly badass recurring line, "PIGS DON'T LET IT!", yelled throughout that part as well as other lyrics inbetween. This song is fucking awesome. I want to play it at parties!

3. Hog Leg
Starts with a tape of a christian evangelist preacher manipulated to say funny shit about alcohol. The song has almost KISS-like vocals with a glam-rock sounding shriek. This one's really heavy. The mid-section, however, iz a noise-fest.

4. Charmicarmicat
Motor-engine sounding guitars. This song is ultra-slow, much like "Boris" on the record before it, "Bullhead". Extremely slow, dirging, and one of the heaviest songs the Melvins have ever done. Near the end of the song, you can hear lyrics that sound like "bastards take away!!", or something like that. It's longer than the other songs on Eggnog combined. DSFSDFSDGSF

I think this is a pretty good Melvins record! It's got a little bit of all of the styles that the Melvins are associated with. The first song is like grunge, the second song is punk, the third song is a mashup between heavy metal and noise-rock, and the final song is pure sludge. Get someone this EP for Christmas.

A LIVE PERFORMANCE OF "ANTITOXIDOTE"

Review #17: The Offspring - Baghdad (EP) (1991)

BAGHDAD (EP)

Year: 1991
Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Hardcore
Label: Nemesis Records
Tracks: 4
Length: 10 Minutes (Short)
Style: Political/Rebellious
My Rating: 6/8

It's over. It's all over. Christmas, I mean. The presents, the hype, the crass commercialism, the fact that it rained on Christmas this year. Well, now there's only New Year's Eve left to look forward to, which probably won't be that exciting to be honest. I'll elaborate on my feelings on that some other time, though.

The Offspring are a band from Orange County, Califorina. While generally synonymous with pop-punk nowadays and merely a shadow of what they once were, this album was from their days as a truly great punk band. The band formed in 1984 and released a 7" single in 1986 and then signed to Nemesis records and released a full-length LP in 1989 (which is totally gonna be reviewed sometime soon). Well, this is their second and last release on Nemesis Records, and it's just before they really started to get big in the underground scene a year or two later (and then in the mainstream in 1994!).

This record is a lot more obscure and under-rated than it should be, but maybe it's because it's an EP with only 4 songs. Nonetheless, it's out of print, so you don't need to feel guilty for downloading it, though I'm sure it'd feel great to get your hands on an actual copy. Each song is unique, but it's not completely new. One song is just a new version of a song from their first LP. Another is an instrumental track. One of the songs later got re-recorded for the LP after this. One of them is a cover song.

1. Get it Right
This song got on "Ignition" later. It's basically the same sort of hardcore-type thing that they were doing during this period, so y'know what to expect. But if you heard the "official" one and wanna hear how it sounded a year before Ignition came out, give this a try.

2. Hey Joe
A cover of Jimi Hendrix covering Billy Roberts. My favorite song on the album. It packs a punch in places where the two older versions don't. Nice solo at the beginning. It's got a hard beat and it just rocks.

3. Baghdad
The namesake of the record. However, it's the least interesting track in that it's just a slightly altered version of "Tehran" from their debut LP. Nonetheless, the lyrics are changed (by one word) to relate to the Gulf War, and this song is sadly still relevant today, thanks to two bullshit presidents and the three before 'em that helped plant the seeds.

4. The Blurb
This is an instrumental track. Sort of. Okay, maybe it's not. There are vocals, but it's just Dexter wailing to a beat and other background noises/vox. One of the weirdest (in a good way) songs the band has ever done.

Well, it's a good listen. The lyrics to "Baghdad" are still relevant to today's politics regarding the lame-assed wars in the Middle East that were SUPPOSED to be ending this year. The only song that really can't be found anywhere else on this record is "The Blurb", but a lot of people probably wouldn't like it anyway. Still, it's more good classic-style Offspring music, and it (appropriately) sounds somewhere between the first record and "Ignition".

Review #3: Lunachicks - Babysitters on Acid (1990)

BABYSITTERS ON ACID

Year: 1990
Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Hardcore
Label: Blast First Records
Tracks: 12
Length: 39 Minutes (Long)
Style: Fun/Rebellious
My Rating: 8/8

I remember being bored outta my mind, looking for new bands to listen to on the internet, one day. Then I found a music video for a song called "Babysitters on Acid", and it changed my life. At least a little. The song that really pulled me into the band was "Jan Brady", though. However, this isn't really the best way to start. Ahem. Cough. Throatclear. Burp. Cough again. Fart. Burp. Attempt to blow clogged-up nose.

Yeah... Anyways, the Lunachicks are another one o' those bands that sorta blur the line between punk rock and heavy metal. It's got the three to four-chord riffs and beats of punk rock, but there's an extensive use of guitar leads, and Theo Kogan actually tries to sing good, so it's up for dispute. In the end, I'd say they are still awesome. This was their first full length album, and it went out of print pretty quickly, apparently, until it was re-issued 11 fucking years later! They released an EP before this, and they had been signed to Blast First records by none other than... Sonic Youth! Thurston and Kim had seen one of their early shows, and they weren't so good at playing their instruments, so they had been confused for a noise rock band (which I guess they vaguely were at this point). But they were different in a few ways during this point than they were in the later albums. The sound is a lot more low-budget sounding, which I actually really like, so that's good. They weren't quite at the phase of wearing the pounds of intentionally weird makeup and looking like female drag queens, so they were all pretty attractive during this era (I think so, at least.) Seriously, they were.

There's a lot of alternating between punk rock anthems to weird and gross aspects of American culture (the Brady Bunch, bestiality, Cookie Monster, etc.), and more serious songs talking about murder, organized religion, and prostitution. The sound is friggin' golden, though. There isn't a ton I don't like about this album. Definitely my favorite Lunachicks record. Now, for the meat of the review...

1. Jan Brady
This is a song about Jan Brady from the Brady Bunch, who believes herself to be God, and it has a catchy chorus that goes "I am Jan, Jan I am, I like to eat green eggs and ham!". Hahaha. But this iz the song that got me hooked on the Lunachicks. It just rocks real hard, y'know?

2. Glad I'm Not Yew
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what this song is about. One thing that really kills me (in a good way) about it is whatever strumming technique they're using in this song. If you really listen to the guitar, something about it sounds real good. Maybe it's the fact that they used two guitarists, I dunno. Anyways, the song is kinda fast in the verses, and then it has a slow chorus (typical in a lot of hardcore punk). It's a fun song, though. Nice to blast in the car stereo, if your friends are willing to put up with it.

3. Babysitters on Acid
The namesake song of the album (and also the first Lunachicks song I ever heard.) Supposedly in the album liner notes, there is a comic book version of this track. I haven't ever read it, though. This is a sassy-sounding tune about a crazy babysitter who, not being allowed to throw a party while on the job, does some acid and tries to cook the baby in the oven, and the parents get all shocked and they probably fainted (but it was probably inaudible 'cause the parents both weighed a total of 2 pounds or something.) To make matters worse, the babysitter refuses to leave without getting paid!

4. Makin It (With Other Species)
Ah yes, a bestiality song. This is the fastest song on the record, and I think the title speaks for itself. It's pretty funny and offensive.

5. Mabel Rock
I absolutely love this one! It's about the actress, Mabel King, or something. But I like it for a lot of the same reasons I like "Glad I'm Not Yew", 'cept I actually heard this one first. I imagine listening to this if I was lost in some sort of wasteland on the way to the world's coolest punk rock concert during a sunny day at about 5:00 PM.

6. Theme Song
I really under-estimated this one. I first heard snippets of the first half of the song, and while it sounded humorous, I expected it to be no more than filler. I was wrong, though. I finally heard the full song on internet radio one night, and my mind was changed! Anyways, it's a song about Theo killing her old high school teacher. It starts out mid-tempo, but 1/3 through the song, it turns into a slow masterpiece, singing of feelings of no guilt for the killing. Probably the best and most emotional piece on the record. Also the end of Side 1.

7. Born 2 B Mild
This song starts Side 2! It's basically a song that denounces organized religion, with the band also singing about the joys of bein' in a rock n' roll band instead of a more confining lifestyle.

8. Pin Eye Woman 665
This is one of the less happy songs on the album, and revolves around the life of a prostitute who is also addicted to heroin, and even makes reference to a possible death from AIDS. But nonetheless, like the other songs on the album, it still totally rocks! The drum-solo in the middle is a nice touch, also.

9. Cookie-Core
This song is also known as "Cookie Moshter" on the single that it was released on in the same year as this album. But anyways, as you might have guessed, it's basically some sort of demented counting song featuring none other than COOKIE MONSTER! However, Theo gets the last laugh, when it turns out that despite offering some of the cookies, she got to eat them all, and thus, is great.

10. Octopussy
A bizzare love-song about a woman with eight arms (or maybe tentacles), and her love for her partner. I should listen to this when I finally get a girlfriend.

11. Sugar Luv
Starts out real slow, but then the speed picks up. This also released on their debut EP from 1989. I believe it might actually be another love song, too. But I think it's supposed to be about some dude who's made of candy or sugar or something like that.

12. Compilcation
This sawng is about something that must be really complicated, because they don't really have much else to say, here. But it's great for slam-dancing, I suspect. Theo's vocals are really strong, here. The song fades out, but then fades back in for a brief noisy finale. And that iz the end of Side 2 which means that it iz the end of the album.

If you like punk or hard rock in general, don't pass up this one! It's a great listen, as are all of the Lunachicks albums, but especially this one. I've also included some of the music videos that came out for songs on this album. Bye!

MUSIC VIDEOS





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